Press Release - President Obama Nominates Three to Serve on the United States District Courts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama nominated Clare E. Connors, Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher, and Mary S. McElroy to serve on the United States District Courts.

"I am honored to put forward these highly qualified candidates for the federal bench," President Obama said. "They will be distinguished public servants and valuable additions to the United States District Court."

Clare E. Connors: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii

Clare E. Connors has been an attorney at the law firm of Davis Levin Livingston in Honolulu, Hawaii since 2011, where her practice focuses on civil litigation. From 2004 to 2011, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii. From 2003 to 2004, she served as a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice and also served on detail as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. Connors began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable David Alan Ezra of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii from 2002 to 2003. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2002 and her B.A. cum laude from Yale College in 1996.

Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland

Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has been a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of Maryland since 2011. Prior to joining the bench, she was a partner at the law firm of Levin & Gallagher LLC in Baltimore, Maryland from 2008 to 2011. From 2002 to 2008, Judge Gallagher served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland. From 1999 to 2001, she worked as an associate at the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in Washington, D.C. Judge Gallagher began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable J. Frederick Motz of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland from 1997 to 1999. She received her J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1997 and her B.A. magna cum laude from Georgetown University in 1994.

Mary S. McElroy: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island

Mary S. McElroy has served as the Public Defender for the Rhode Island Public Defender's Office since 2012. Prior to joining the Rhode Island Public Defender's Office, she served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Federal Public Defender Office for the Districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island from 2006 to 2012. From 1994 to 2006, she served as an Assistant Rhode Island Public Defender for the Rhode Island Public Defender's Office. From 1993 to 1994, she was an associate at the firm of Tate and Elias LLC in Providence, Rhode Island. McElroy began her legal career by serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Donald F. Shea of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1992 to 1993. McElroy received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1992 and her B.A. from Providence College in 1987.